Financial problems, infighting and the lack of any statewide political clout are all bad enough. Now, as reported by AL.com's Charles J. Dean, the state Democratic Party has been ranked the most dysfunctional state political party in the nation.

It's not a pretty sight. Even as an election year approaches, no Democrat has announced to oppose incumbent Republican Robert Bentley for the governor's office. That is practically unheard of with less than a year before primaries.

Having a credible Democratic Party is important -- just as having a credible Republican Party is important. The more ideas out there, the better. The more perspectives, the better. The more competition, the better.

With complete, one-party dominance, you get laws like HB56, the state's harsh, overreaching, mostly unconstitutional anti-immigration law, and the Alabama Accountability Act, which could shift state funds to private schools. In the end, even Bentley wanted to hold off on it.

Yet, before even thinking about rebuilding credibility, state Democrats need to heal their ugly, public split. That may not happen as long as party vice chair Joe Reed controls the executive committee and former chairman Mark Kennedy continues pushing a separate organization, the Alabama Democratic Majority -- which Kennedy says he created to support Democrats running for office.

What will help the Democratic Party regain credibility and become competitive in elections once again?

Offer your ideas in the comments section below.

Joey Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a community engagement specialist for AL.com and The Birmingham News. Reach him at jkennedy@al.com.